What's cool?
+Meditations podcast, Indivisible art & 33 Weeks
When I wanted to discover something new and cool, I put on my shoes, went outside and had the pleasure of rummaging through video stores, record stores, comics shops, second-hand book stores, yard sales and places that sold weird ephemera. Concentrated spaces that hosted an odd array of passionate experts, curators, tastemakers and eager consumers that led to spirited dialogue. People to punch or make out with. More likely drink Olde English 800, trade baseball cards, and play games with.
I read The Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, The Comics Buyers Guide, and NY Press to get a sense of what was going on: book readings and signings, black box theater, music and comedy. You had to call a phone number to find out what was going on at Rubulad — and where?
And then the internet happened. It was awesome. A galactic rabbit hole of information and infinite distractions. A click away from everything — and nothing. Where your buying habits were tracked and trained to offer you the stuff you already liked. When all I wanted to know — what’s cool?
Did you read Mike W. Barr and Brian Bolland’s Camelot 3000? What about Jessica Abel’s Artbabe? How insane is Joe Spinell in Maniac? What’s up with Survive Style 5+?Should we start the roof party with “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force before we drop the needle on “Jam On it” by Newcleus and “Electric Kingdom” by Twilight 22?
I don't consider my personal work to be "art" but I don't view it as highly commercial, either. My sensibilities seem to land on the equator line between Mainstream and Alternative, bordering on Niche.
Niche is cool.
“But, Dean, don't you want to make stuff that appeals to a broader audience?”
Sure.
”Don't you want to make a healthy and sustainable living at this?”
Absolutely.
The truth is you can't make something for everybody. And if you have it's a rare feat. But it's even more rare for it to be considered any good.
Okay — so I've made something new that I think is cool and I want you to know about it. These days, if you aren’t subscribed to my newsletter or follow me on social media, how would you ever know about the new cool thing I made?
A cosmic romance about two love titans featuring Billy Dogma + Jane Legit ain’t no “beauty and the beast” — but it’s cool. The polarizing dark comedy of a 21st Century antihero like Covid Cop ain’t no Judge Dredd or Toxic Avenger — but it’s cool. A "meta-mem-noir" like The Red Hook X Dean Haspiel will never impact the pop culture zeitgeist like Spider-man and Harvey Pekar — but it’s cool.
Getting folks to know about the things you make in a sea of creativity and social media is a giant hurtle. And with no marketing budget, no far reaching hype machine that lets a curious stranger or targeted consumer know about my stuff, does word-of-mouth suffice?
Self-publishing is not a journey of guarantees. It's a risky business of commitment, community, and discovery.
Where do YOU find cool stuff?
I had a great conversation with Ryan Zlomek for his Meditations podcast, episode 24. This is the first time I spoke mostly about the four produced plays I've written. You can listen to it on Apple / Spotify / Podbean / YouTube
Speaking of meditations: my good pal Bob Fingerman gets introspective about his 40-year career as a freelancer and cartoonist/New Yorker cum Californian with Gil Roth on the Virtual Memories Show #593
A couple of weeks ago, I got invited by my high school pals, Mike and Sean, to jam with them for two-hours. My girlfriend Jen heard the recording and said we sounded like three different bands playing in three different rooms (hah!).
I’ve never sat behind a drum kit before. Not sure I ever should again but it was fun to goof around. I love music but I don’t have any musical theory that I’m ready to apply. I know what I like when I hear it, I just don’t know how to make it. That would require a lot of extra time I don’t have to spare. I’m not gonna quit crafting stories for sowing songs but it’s certainly a new way to hang out with old friends.
I’ve always loved a good beat, solid bass and outer space sounds, but I have even more respect for the genius of another pal/former roommate, Christian Urich aka Cooly C of the band TORTURED SOUL, a prolific song-maker, who plays drums and sings — at the same time! I don’t know how he does it. Big Ups to Prince (RIP) who could do it all AND dance.
My gal/artist Jen Ferguson is part of a group art show and artists talk in the Catskills this weekend.
Indivisible
June 28 - July 7th, 2024
On view at the Andes Academy of Art
506 Main Street, Andes, NY, 13731
Gallery Hours: 12pm - 5pm
Opening Reception: June 29th, 2 - 5pm
Artist Talk: Sunday June 30th at 1pm
(917) 859-5397 or by email andesacademyofart@gmail.com and Instagram.
One of Jen's new pieces, "Velvet Noir, Brooklyn Bridge," is available for sale in print.
I've had the pleasure of mentoring artist and actor Dimitri Spiridakis on making comix. He's created several projects and one of them is a short, horror/romance written by Whitney Matheson. You can read it here for free:
Meanwhile, I’ve packaged and shipped over 95% of The Red Hook X Dean Haspiel to my beloved backers and I aim to make it readily available across the board soon. Curious to know what y’all think of my new cool comic book!
—Dean
Instagram / Twitter / Website/Blog / Nightwork Studio / Etsy
Dean. You're so cool, you're hot. Even with your shirt on! Don't worry Jen, I gots (my) Mike :)
Love the new book Dino! Thanks!